Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

VRF Has Many Advantages

  • By Kevin Miskewicz
  • 09/08/17

Variable Refrigerant Flow (VRF) is a leading-edge, globally proven HVAC technology that can help solve many HVAC challenges. Following are a few of its merits.

  • Increased Energy Efficiency — VRF systems with inverter-driven compressors can reduce energy bills up to 25 percent.
  • Reduced Costs — While initial equipment cost can be higher, VRF’s installation and operational costs are often lower. Standard controls and simpler installation save on materials and labor.
  • Delivery of Fresh Air — With advanced filters, zoning capabilities and integration with ventilation systems, VRF can help meet indoor air mandates.
  • Limited Operational Noise — VRF eliminates disruption indoors and out. Indoor units operate as quietly as 19 decibels and outdoor units are quieter than traditional systems.
  • Variable Loads Needs — VRF does an impressive job meeting spaces’ and occupants’ needs. Full-range variable capacity delivers only the amount of conditioning required. Using integrated controls and sensors, the compressor adjusts speeds to maintain the desired zone temperature.
  • Solves Comfort Issues — VRF’s zoning offers incredibly personalized comfort control, including the ability to simultaneously cool and heat from one heat recovery system.
  • Controls Multiples Spaces — VRF can integrate with third-party software. Beyond that, VRF offers a wide variety of controls options, from individual zone controllers to centralized controllers that monitor, schedule and control multiple indoor units through a web browser.
  • Minimizes Maintenance — Little maintenance is required and doesn’t require a specialized service contractor. VRF components are easily accessible.

This article originally appeared in the September 2017 issue of Spaces4Learning.

About the Author

Kevin Miskewicz is the director of Commercial Marketing with Mitsubishi Electric Cooling & Heating. He can be reached at [email protected] or 888/979-9686.

Featured

  • Porter Family Center

    Porter Family Center for Innovation and Academics

    Established in 1999, the Education Design Showcase is a vehicle for showing off innovative — yet practical — solutions in planning, design, architecture, and construction. The Porter Family Center for Innovation and Academics has been recognized with an EDS 2026 Project of Distinction award in the category of New Construction.

  • Montclair State University Starts Construction on $120M STEM Building

    Montclair State University in Montclair, N.J., recently broke ground on a new $120-million Interdisciplinary Science Building, according to university news. The university partnered with HoK Architects for the project’s design, and it’s scheduled to open in time for the 2028–29 academic year.

  • Cleveland High School Breaks Ground on Modernization

    Portland Public Schools in Portland, Ore., recently announced that construction has begun on a modernization project for Cleveland High School, according to a news release. The existing building will be replaced with a new, 300,000-square-foot facility at the same site.

  • Higher Ed is Betting on New Buildings While Quietly Undermining Their Campuses — Here’s Why

    In this climate, the owner’s representative has changed from a delivery-focused advisor to a strategic campus partner. Institutions are increasingly relying on owner’s reps not just to manage, cope, schedule, and budget, but also help evaluate whether a project should proceed at all.